The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-08-06
Civil Service Reform.

The National Civil Service Reform League
held its annual meeting at Newport, Il. l., on
Wednesday. George VIM. Curtis, President,
made his annual address, in which he review
ed the progress of reform, during the present
administration. While expressing confidence
in the honest purposes of President Cleveland,
he acknowledges his disappointment at re-
suits, so far, in the first half Of the admins
tration. Complaining that there has been
very general partisan reconstruction of the
national civil service, he yet admits that such
change was the undoubted desire and ex-
psctation of a large and important part of the
supporters of the President at the poils
A few figures, says Mr.. Curtis, will Illustrate the
scope OF the changes; The number of employs Of
the government of all kinds contained in the official
register is about l2000O of these about 1900 are
included in the classified service, which covers
about $50 places i'll the departmental in Washington,
and 1858 in the postal and customs service else
where distributed among twenty eight postoflices
and eleven custom houses. The number OF chlef
officers including postmasters collectors land ON
GERS and many Others is about5S00O OF these chief
officers apparently about 5000 or 1900 have been
changed, ard the change in these offices implies
change also in all places dependent upon them.
There S. 157 postoiees in the United States
of these about 400 are filed upon the nomination
of the President and the term OF office is four years
The rest are filled at pleasure by the Postmaster
General. of the actual number OF changes for all
causes in the postoiices of every kind have seen
two statements, both ofwhch assume to be anthem
tic. oneofthem states the whole number Exchanges
TO be about AZ 0O0 the other about $1,000 Whether,
however the larger or the smaller number be more
accurate, at the same rate of change for the next
two years the entire body Of posnasters would be-
with very few exceptions, politically changed, and
with the postmaSters all the employees dependant
on them.
These figures prove that all the offices under
the government were filled by the adherents
of one party, and that for the space of twenty
four years. When the pendulum of political
change swung to the other side, impartial JUS
tice, if nothing else, demanded that many
changes should be made by the new admins
tration, so as to give the victorious party,
which had so long been denied any participa'
ton in official patronage, an equitable share
of the public Offices. If the number of reno
walls has been greater than is palatable to the
Republican party and their congeners, the Civil
Service Reform League, let them drink of the
chalice which they commended to Democratic
lips with what grace they can. The draught
will do them good, though bitter upon their
lips. And, after twenty-four years of official
priyation, when the equilibrium between the
parties has been more nearly restored, Mr..
George William Curtis and his National Re-
form League, with Mr.. Dorman B. Eaton,
the father of civil-service reform, and Mr..
George H. Pendleton, the purblind Democrat
Who was duped into becoming the catspaw of
Eaton to pull his chestnats out of che fire and
push his civil-sergjee abomination through
Congress, and the Republican party who are
the chief mourners over these changes, may
expect the Democratic party to be in better
mood to confer with them upon a proper
ciyil-service reform law. The present law is
a disgrace to the country, which processes to
confer upon its citizens equal rights through
equal laws.